Kabhi Bhool Naa Jaana
by Anita
Summary: Rhea has begun to move on with her life, but a shock from her past may begin to shape her future. Post KANK.
1. Kabhi Bhool Naa Jaana

Kabhi Bhool Naa Jaana

It was frigid; the air was crisp and cold. Dev had never truly adjusted to winter; he hated snow. He remembered the days long ago when Rhea and Arjun would wait and wait for the first snowfall, but now as it crunched softly beneath his feet…

He cursed himself for thinking of Rhea and Arjun. That was another world. Another lifetime.

It had been years since he had spoken to her.

* * *

Rhea sighed as she hurriedly packed.

"I'm sorry it's such short notice, Arjun, but I'll only be gone for a week."

"You promised to take me to the movies, mom!" Arjun complained.

"You can go with Jay, he'll take you."

"Mommy!"

Rhea kissed Arjun on his forehead. "Alright, we'll go when I come back. I really do promise."

Arjun smiled. "Love you, mom."

"Love you too, honey."

* * *

Dev made his way to his seat. Another dinner alone in another soulless city restaurant. He had shaken off all the offers from two-faced friends and so-called well-wishing colleagues as politely as possible in lieu of some peace and quiet. He preferred loneliness to the company of people who irritated instead of entertained.

"Table for one." He heard a voice request behind him. He smiled slightly. He wasn't the only one who understood the sanity of solitude.

But when he turned to find the voice belonged to none other than Rhea, his ex-wife, he wasn't sure if the emotion he felt was still commiseration.

* * *

Rhea was a confident, ambitious, successful woman. She had the world in the palm of her hand. So why was it that this one man could always cause her to stumble and fall?

"Rhea. May I join you?" Dev made no introduction, he made no small talk. Was there really any need? At one time they had shared the same roof, they had shared the same bed, could they not now share a table, a simple meal?

"Dev." She had hoped her voice would have been more sharp, more cold, more unforgiving, but these were emotions she could never conjure when he was present. "Where have you been all of these years?"

He lowered his eyes, reliving the past. "I've been busy. Work can do that to a person, you of all people should know that."

"I haven't heard from you since you left for Toronto. **We** haven't heard a word, Dev."

Finally, he looked her in the eye. "How is my son?"

She gritted her teeth. "What kind of son is he to you? You aren't his father anymore. Jay is his father now, in every sense of the word." Rhea was surprised at herself, but Dev chose to ignore the bite of her words

"Jay." Dev grumbled. "He makes you happy, Rhea?"

"How is Maya?" She countered. Dev looked away again at the mention of the name. The link to their turbulent past.

"She's fine." His answer was short, clipped. Rhea wouldn't be getting any more from him. She turned away in disgust.

"Look, Rhea, I didn't walk over here to fight with you. If we wanted to do that, we would have stayed married." Rhea shot him an irritated look. "I came here because time has gotten the better of both of us, and whether you believe it or not, I care about you."

Rhea studied him in shock. This was not the Dev she used to know, the man who felt joy and pain were better left unsaid.

"I've had a lot of time to think, Rhea. Maybe us finding each other here was a blessing. You are still my family, and I don't want to lose that."

She looked at him, speechless, her mind blank. But her mouth began to move, began to form words.

"Maya has done you some good."

Dev swallowed hard. "Rhea, Maya is in the hospital."

**To be continued...**

* * *

What did you think? Good? Bad? Hopefully good. :) I'm really weird and have two endings for this story, so for the first time ever, I'm going to post a story with two alternate endings, yay! Hopefully that's not too odd. They will be up...soon. So please, tell me what you thought. All reviews, concrit and the like are highly appreciated. Thanks again!


	2. Tanhaiyaan

This is the first possible ending I wrote. Kind of like in video games when you can have several alternate endings to one story. ...Or something like that. Anyway, please read and enjoy, and review if possible!

* * *

Rhea was speechless. Could fate be so hard and unforgiving? Was this Karma? Some sort of cosmic retribution for what Maya and Dev had done to her and Rishi?

But hadn't they suffered enough? Rishi was happily married now, and Rhea was slowly yet surely picking up the pieces of her life. They had all suffered equally, in their own way.

In retrospect she realized she was now much better off than Maya and Dev were. Her thoughts tinged with sorrow and regret seemed so far away now.

Yet Dev could not help but wonder if finding Rhea again was some sort of sign. Maybe this was the final nail in his coffin. His past would not leave him; his sins would never be absolved.

"The doctors give her five more weeks."

"Then what are you doing here, Dev? What are you doing sitting alone in a restaurant?" Dev eyed her cautiously. Her passion was fierce and resolute.

"You should be with her, spending your last moments with the woman you love." Rhea spoke the words without bitterness, surprising herself.

He smiled a sad smile, a look she was used to seeing on him. "The woman I love wants me to live my life as if nothing is wrong. The woman I love wants me to think of the future I will be blessed to have. The woman I love wants me to pretend that everything is normal and happy and perfect." Dev shook his head in disbelief. "Frankly, I don't think life has ever been any of those things."

She couldn't give him pity; she knew he would never tolerate such thoughtlessness. She couldn't give him back the many years he had already lost. There was no going back to the way things were, they both knew that.

So, what could she give him? What could she do now that she knew the truth, now that she could feel her heart ache once again with a familiar pain? Because Dev's pain was her pain. It always had been, it always would be.

"Come home." She said without another thought.

He laughed quietly to himself. "It isn't my home anymore, Rhea. We both know that."

Dev locked his eyes on her, placing his hand over hers. "Take good care of Arjun. Please tell him how much I love him. And Jay. Be happy with him. Love him fully with all you have to give. Like we never could."

Rhea closed her eyes, pushing the swirling emotions from her mind. The past, the present, the future, it was all too much to bear.

"Dev…" She started with renewed resolve, opening her eyes.

But he was already gone.


	3. Zindagi Ka Bharosa

And here's the other ending I wrote for this story. A little more "filmi" if you ask me, but it had to be done!

* * *

Rhea felt the colour drain from her face. Were Maya and Dev destined for a life of unhappiness?

She thought of all the times she had been jealous of Maya, thought of all the times she had blamed the woman for tearing her family apart, for destroying her life. She had never gone so far in her blind rage to wish any ill will upon Maya.

"Maya's in the hospital? What happened?" She questioned Dev instantly.

"Complications."

"What do you mean?"

Dev smiled then, and for the first time Rhea could ever recall, he looked completely and utterly ecstatic.

"She's pregnant."

Rhea gasped in shock. "…But…how? Rishi told me that Maya can't -"

Dev grinned and shook his head. "I guess you can say I believe in miracles now."

* * *

Rhea rolled her suitcase toward the front door as Arjun rushed out and wrapped her in a big hug.

What could she tell him? How would she tell her son that his father was having another child, starting another life? Dev had left them alone for years, was it fair for him to return now?

"Arjun…" She started gently.

Where would she find the strength to divulge this new world to her son? How might he react? They were comfortable now, living whatever lives had been left for them.

Rhea looked at the faint footprints she had left in the snow, tracks of the past. She would not be where she was now without Dev. In so many ways, he had given Rhea her life. She wouldn't have Arjun, the centre of her world. Watching the snowfall, she could remember a simpler time, full of hope and love. Was it a happier time? Rhea was certain that her memories would fail her in this respect.

Rhea gave Arjun the warmest smile she could. "I still owe you one trip to the movies!"

She would find a way. In time, she had healed, and in the same way, she would find the strength. She would find the courage to reunite a father with his son.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading. Please review with any comments, thoughts and concrit. :)


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